Choe Il-son


Choe Il-son is a North Korean professional footballer who plays as a Striker for April 25 and the North Korean national youth teams.

International career

Aged 17 in March 2024, Choe was selected to join the North Korea under-20 team for the 2024 AFC U-20 Women's Asian Cup. She featured in all five matches of the tournament, helping North Korea secure the championship title. In the semifinals, she scored the opening goal against rivals South Korea.
Two months later, she was named to the final squad for the 2024 AFC U-17 Women's Asian Cup in Indonesia. She helped North Korea win their fourth title, scoring 5 goals against hosts Indonesia.
In September 2024, she was selected for the final squad of the 2024 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup. She played a crucial role in North Korea's third world title, scoring six goals to claim the Golden Boot, including the only goal in the final against Japan. She was also named the tournament's best player, earning the Golden Ball. a month later, she got selected for the 2024 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup.
On 16 October 2025, Choe was named the AFC Women's Youth Player of the Year at the AFC Awards Riyadh 2025.

Honours

North Korea U17
North Korea U20
Individual